Laguna CATV Network, Inc. v. Maraan

THI RDDI VI SI ON [ G. R.No .1 39 49 2.No v e mb mb er1 9,2 00 2. ] LAGUNA CATV NETWO WORK,I NC  p . ,et i t i oner ,vs.HON ON.ALEX E.MARAAN, Regi onalDi r ect or ,Regi on I V,Dept .ofLaborand Empl oyme ment( DOLE) , ENRI CO SAGMI T, Act i ng Deput y Sher i ff, DOLE Regi on I V, PEDRO I GNACI O, DI OMEDES CASTRO, O, FE ESPERANZA CANDI LLA, RUBEN LAMI MI NA, JR. , JOEL PERSI UNCULA, ALVI NO PRUDENTE, JOEL RAYMU MUNDO, O, REGI GI E ROC OCERO, LI NDA, ROD ODRI GUEZ,JOHN SALUDO, r e sp on de nt s . ALBERTOREYES,andANACLETAVALOI S, Emi l i oG.Ab r og enaf orpet i t i oner . Hi l ar i oD.Qui ambaof orpr i v at er es pondent s . SYNOPSI S The Depar t mentofLaborand Empl oyment( DOLE) ,Regi on I V,conduct ed an i nspect i on wi t hi nt hepr emi s esofLagunaCATVNe t wor k ,I nc .Af t ert hes ummar yi n v es t i g at i on,Regi onal Di r ect orAl exE.Mar aan di r ect ed Laguna CATV t o pay t he concer ned emp mpl oyeesoft hei r unpai dc l ai ms .LagunaCATVfi l edamo t i onf orr ec ons i der at i on.Howev er ,f orf ai l ur eofLaguna CATV t oc ompl ywi t ht heaf or ement i onedOr der ,Di r ec t orMar aani s s uedawr i tofe x ec ut i on. Thes her i ffl e v i edt heL300v a nandgar ni s hedt hebankdepos i t sofDr .Ber nar di noBai l onas ownerofLaguna CATV.Laguna CATV and Dr .Bai l on fil ed amot i on t o quasht he wr i tof e x ec ut i on,not i c eofl ev yands al eone x ec ut i on.Buti twasdeni edbyDi r ec t orMar aanont he gr oundt hatLagunaCATV f ai l edt oper f ec ti t sappealandt hewr i tofe x ec ut i ons houl dbe c ons i der ed asan " o v er tdeni al "o fLaguna CATV' smo t i on f orr ec ons i der at i on.I ns t ead of appeal i ngt ot heSec r e t ar yofLabor ,LagunaCATVfi l edwi t ht heCour tofAppeal samo t i onf or e xt ens i onoft i met ofi l eapet i t i onf orr ev i ew.LagunaCATVwasoft hev i ew t hatanappealt o t heSec r et ar yofLabor" woul dbeanex er c i s ei nf ut i l i t yc ons i der i ngt hatt hes ai dappealwi l lbe fi l e d wi t ht h e Reg i o na lOffic ea nd i twi l ls u r e l yb ed i s a pp r o v ed . "Co ns eq uen t l y ,i twa s d i s mi mi s s e db yt h ea pp el l a t ec o ur tf o rr e as o ns ,amo ng o t h er s ,f o rf a i l u r et oe x h au s t admi ni s t r at i v er emedi es .Thus ,LagunaCATVfi l edt hei ns t antpet i t i on.

SaICcT

TheCour tofAppeal swascor r ec ti nhol di ngt hatpet i t i onerf ai l edt oex haus tal ladmi ni s t r at i v e r emed i e s .Aspr o v i d edu nde rAr t i c l e1 28o ft heLa bo rCo de ,a sa men me de d,a no r d eri s s u edb y

t hedul yaut hor i z edr epr es ent at i v eoft heSec r et ar yofLaborma ybeappeal edt ot hel at t er . Thus ,pet i t i oners houl dhav efi r s tappeal edt ot heSec r et ar yofLabori ns t eadoffi l i ngwi t ht he Cour tofAppeal samot i onf orex t ens i onoft i met ofi l eapet i t i onf orr ev i ew. Cour t s ,f orr eas onsofl aw,c omi t yandc onv eni enc e,s houl dnotent er t ai ns ui t sunl es st he av ai l abl eadmi ni s t r at i v er emedi eshav efi r s tbeenr es or t edt oandt hepr operaut hor i t i eshav e beengi v enanappr opr i at eoppor t uni t yt oac tandc or r ec tt hei ral l egeder r or s ,i fany ,c ommi t t ed i nt headmi ni s t r at i v ef or um.Obs er v anc eoft hi sdoc t r i nei sas oundpr ac t i c eandpol i c y . SYLLABUS 1.LABOR AND SOCI ALLEGI SLATI ON;LABOR CODE;VI SI TORI ALAND ENFORCEMENT POWERS;ORDER I SSUED BY THE DUL Y AUTHORI ZED REPRESENTATI VE OF THE SECRETARY OF LABOR MAY BE APPEALED TO THE LATTER.— As pr ov i ded under Ar t i c l e1 28 o ft h eL abo rCo de ,a sa me nd ed ,e ar l i e rq uo t e d,a no r d eri s s u ed b yt he d ul y aut hor i z ed r epr es ent at i v e oft he Sec r e t ar yofLaborma y be appeal ed t ot he l at t er .Thus , pet i t i oners houl dhav efi r s tappeal edt ot heSec r et ar yofLabori ns t eadoffi l i ngwi t ht heCour t ofAppeal samot i onf orex t ens i onoft i met ofi l eapet i t i onf orr ev i ew. 2.POLI TI CAL LAW; ADMI NI STRATI VE LAW; EXHAUSTI ON OF ADMI NI STRATI VE REMEDI ES;OBSERVANCE THEREOFI S A SOUND PRACTI CE AND POLI CY.— Cour t s , f orr eas onsofl aw,c omi t yandc onv eni enc e,s houl dnotent er t ai ns ui t sunl es st heav ai l abl e admi ni s t r at i v er emedi esha v efi r s tbeen r es or t ed t o and t he pr opera ut hor i t i esha v e been gi v enanappr opr i at eoppor t uni t yt oac tandc or r ec tt hei ral l egeder r or s ,i fany ,c ommi t t edi n t he admi ni s t r at i v ef or um.Obs er v anc e oft hi sdoc t r i ne i sa s ound pr ac t i c e and pol i c y .As s uc ci nc t l yex pl ai nedbyt hi sCour ti nCar al ev s .Abar i nt os :" I t( t hedoc t r i neofex haus t i onof admi ni s t r at i v er emedi es )ens ur es an or der l y pr oc edur e whi c hf av or s a pr el i mi nar ys i f t i ng pr oc es s ,par t i c ul ar l y wi t hr es pec tt o mat t er s pec ul i ar l y wi t hi nt he c ompe t enc e oft he admi ni s t r at i v eagenc y ,av oi danc eofi nt er f er enc ewi t hf unc t i onsoft headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc y b y wi t hhol di ng j udi c i ala c t i on unt i lt he admi ni s t r at i v e pr oc es s had r un i t sc our s e,and pr ev ent i onofat t empt st os wampt hec our t sbyar es or tt ot hem i nt hefi r s ti ns t anc e. " 3.I D. ;I D. ;I D. ;EXPLAI NED.— Thi sCour t ,i nal ongl i neofc as es ,hascons i s t ent l yhel dt hati f ar e me dy wi t h i nt h ea dmi n i s t r a t i v e ma c hi n er yc a ns t i l lb er e s or t ed t ob yg i v i n gt h e admi ni s t r at i v eoffic erc onc er nede ver yoppor t uni t yt odec i deonamat t ert hatc omeswi t hi nhi s  j ur i s di c t i on,t hens uc hr emedys houl dbeex haus t edfi r s tbef or et hec our t ' sj udi c i alpowerc an bes ought .Thepar t ywi t hanadmi ni s t r at i v er emedymus tnotmer el yi ni t i at et hepr es cr i bed

admi ni s t r at i v epr oc edur et oobt ai nr el i efbutal s opur s uei tt oi t sappr opr i at ec onc l us i onbef or e s eek i ng j udi c i ali nt er v ent i oni n or dert o gi v et he admi ni s t r at i v e agenc y an oppor t uni t yt o dec i det hemat t eri t s el fc or r ec t l yandpr ev entunnec es s ar yandpr emat ur er es or tt ot hec our t . Theunder l y i ngpr i nc i pl eoft her ul er es t sont hepr es umpt i ont hatt headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc y ,i f aff or dedac ompl e t ec hanc et opas supont hemat t erwi l l dec i det hes amec or r ec t l y . 4.I D. ;I D. ;I D. ;EXCEPTI ONS;NOTPRESENTI N CASEATBAR.— Al t hought hi sCour thas al l owedc er t ai nex c ept i onst ot hedoc t r i neofex haus t i onofadmi ni s t r at i v er emedi es ,s uc has : 1)whent her ei sa v i ol at i onofdue pr oc es s ;2)whent he i s s uei n v ol v e di sapur el yl eg al ques t i on;3)whent headmi ni s t r at i v eac t i oni spat ent l yi l l egalamount i ngt ol ac korex c es sof  j ur i s di c t i on;4)whent her ei ses t oppelont hepar toft headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc yc onc er ned;5) whent her ei si r r epar abl ei nj ur y ;6)whent her es pondenti saDepar t mentSec r e t ar ywhos e ac t sasanal t eregooft hePr es i dentbear st hei mpl i edandas s umedappr o v aloft hel at t er ;7) wh ent or e qu i r ee x ha us t i ono fa dmi n i s t r a t i v er eme di e swo ul db eu nr ea s ona bl e ;8 )whe ni t woul damountt oanul l i fi cat i onofac l ai m;9)whent hes ubj ec tmat t eri sapr i v at el andi nl and c as epr oc eedi ngs ;10)whent her ul edoesno tpr o v i deapl ai n,s peedy ,adequat er emedy ;11) whent her ear ec i r c ums t anc esi ndi c at i ngt he ur genc yofj udi c i ali nt er v ent i on;12)whenno admi ni s t r at i v er ev i e wi s pr o vi ded by l aw;1 3)wher et he r ul e ofq ual i fi ed pol i t i c alagenc y a pp l i e s ;a nd 1 4)wh en t h ei s s u eo fn one x ha us t i o no fa dmi n i s t r a t i v er e me di e sh asb een r ender edmoot ,pet i t i onerf ai l st os how t hatt hei ns t antc as ef al l sunderanyoft heex c ept i ons . I t sc ont ent i ont hatanappealt ot heSec r et ar yofLaborwoul dbef ut i l eas" i twi l ls ur el ybe di s appr ov ed, "i spur el yconj ec t ur al anddefi ni t el ymi s pl ac ed. 5. I D. ;I D. ;I D. ;FAI LURE TO COMPL Y THEREWI TH I S FAT AL TO ONE' S CAUSE OF ACTI ON.— I nt her ecentcaseof Republ i coft hePhi l i ppi nesv s .Ex pr es sT el ec ommuni c at i on Co. ,t hi sCour thel dt hat" t hepr emat ur ei nv oc at i onoft hec our t ' si nt er v ent i oni sf at alt oone' s c aus eofac t i on. "Ac cor di ngl y ,abs entanyfi ndi ngofwai v er ,es t oppel ,oranyoft hee xc ept i ons t ot hedoc t r i neofex haus t i onofadmi ni s t r at i v er emedi es ,t hec as ei ssus cept i bl eofdi s mi s sal f orl ac kofc aus eofac t i on.

EcI DaA

DECISIO N SANDOVALGUTI ERREZ,J: p

On Mar ch 3,1998,pr i vat er espondent s Pedr oI gnaci o,Di omedes Cast r o,Fe Esper anza Ca nd i l l a ,Ru be nL ami n a,J r . ,J o e lPe r s i u nc ul a ,Al v i n o Pr u den t e ,J o elRa y mu nd o,Reg i e Ro c er o ,L i n da Ro dr i gu ez ,J o hn Se l u do ,Al b er t o Re y e sa nd An ac l e t a Va l o i sfi l e d wi t ht h e

Depar t mentofLaborandEmpl oyment ,Regi onalOfficeNo.I V( DOLE Regi onI V) ,separ at e c ompl ai nt s f or und er pa y ment of wage s and non pa y ment of ot her empl oy ee b e n e fi t s .1I mp l e ad edasr e s po nde ntwa st h ei re mp l o y er ,L ag un aCATVNe t wor k ,I nc .( La gu na CATV) . Pr i v at er es pondent sfi l edt hei rs epar at ec ompl ai nt spur s uantt oAr t i c l e128oft heLaborCode, asamendedbyRepubl i cActNo.7730, i c hpr ov i des : 2wh " Ar t i c l e128.Vi s i t or i alandenf or c ementpower s.— ( a )T heSec r e t a r yofL abo ro rhi s dul yaut hor i z edr epr es ent at i v es ,i nc l udi ngl aborr egul at i onoffic er s ,s hal lhav eac ces s t oe mp l o y er ' sr ec o r d sa ndp r e mi s e satan yt i meo ft h ed ayorn i gh twh en ev e rwor ki s bei ngunder t ak e nt her ei n,andt her i ghtt oc op yt her ef r om,t oques t i onan yemp l o y ee andi n v es t i g at ean yf ac t ,c ondi t i onormat t erwhi c hma ybenec es s ar yt ode t er mi ne v i ol at i onsorwhi c hma yai di nt heenf or c ementoft hi sCodeandofan yl aborl aw,wage or derorr ul esandr egul at i onsi s suedpur s uantt her et o. " ( b)...  A "nor deri s s uedbyt hedul yaut hor i z edr epr es ent at i v eoft heSec r et ar yofLaborand Emp l o y me ntu nd ert hi sar t i c l e ma yb ea ppe al e dt ot he l at t e r.I nc a s es a i do r d er i n v o l v e samo ne t a r yawa r d ,a na pp ea lb yt h ee mp l o y e rma yb ep er f e c t e do nl yup on t h ep os t i n go fac a s ho rs u r e t yb on di s s u edb yar e pu t a bl eb on di n gc o mp an yd ul y ac c r edi t edb yt heSec r e t ar yofLaborandEmpl o y menti nt hea mountequ i v a l entt ot he mo ne t ar ya war di nt h eo r d erap pe al edf r o m.( e mp has i sa dd ed) " x xxx xxx xx . "

OnAp r i l1 ,1 99 8,DOL E Re gi o nI Vc o nd uc t e da ni n s pe c t i o nwi t h i nt h ep r e mi s e so fL ag un a CATV a ndf o un dt h att hel a t t e rv i o l a t e dt hel a wso np ay me nto fwa ge sa ndo t he rb en efi t s . The r e up on ,DOL E Re gi onI Vr e qu es t e dL ag unaCATV t oc o r r e c ti t sv i o l a t i o nsb utt h el a t t e r r ef used,pr ompt i ng Regi onalDi r ect or Al ex E.Mar aan t o sett he case f or summar y i nv es t i gat i on.3Ther eaf t er ,he i ssued an Or derdat ed August19,19984  d i r ec t i ng Laguna CATV t opayt heconcer nedempl oyeest hesum ofTwoHundr edSi xt yOneThousand,Ni ne and19/ 100( P261, 009. 19)Pes osr epr es ent i ngt hei runpai dc l ai ms ,wi t hi n10da y sf r om not i c e, a nd t os u bmi tp r o ofo fp a y me ntwi t h i nt h es a me p er i o d.Fo r t h wi t h ,L ag un a CATV fi l e da mot i onf orr ec ons i der at i on. 5

I nv i ewofLagunaCATV' sf ai l ur et oc ompl ywi t ht heOr derdi r ec t i ngi tt opa yt heunpai dc l ai ms o fi t semp l o y ee s ,DOL E Re gi o na lDi r e ct o rMar aa ni s s u edawr i to fe x e cu t i o no nJ a nu ar y2 9, 19996or der i ng Sher i ff Enr i co Sagmi tt o col l ecti n cash f r om Laguna CATV t he amount s pec i fi edi nt hewr i tor ,i nl i eut her eof ,t oat t ac hi t sgoodsandc hat t el sort hos eofi t sowner ,Dr . Ber nar di noBai l on.Sher i ffSagmi ts ubs equent l yl e vi edonDr .Bai l on' sL300v anandgar ni s hed hi sbankdepos i t s .

OnMar c h2 ,1 99 9,L ag un aCATV a ndDr .Ba i l o n,i nh i sper s o nalc a pa c i t y ,fi l e damo t i ont o quas ht hewr i tofe x ec ut i on,no t i c eofl e vyands al eone x ec ut i onandg ar ni s hmentofbank depos i t s ,7al l egi ng t hat t he wr i t was pr emat ur e because Laguna CATV' s mot i on f or r ec o ns i d er a t i o noft h eOr d erd at edAug us t1 9,1 99 8h asn oty e tb eenr e s ol v e db yReg i o na l Di r ec t orMar aan.OnApr i l 21,1999,hei s s uedanOr der d en yi ngt hemot i ont oquas ht hewr i t 8  ofex ec ut i on,s t at i ngi nt eral i a,t hatLagunaCATVf ai l edt oper f ec ti t sappealoft heAugus t19, 1 99 8 Or d erb ec a us ei td i dn otc o mp l ywi t ht h e ma nd at o r yr e qu i r e me nto fp os t i n g ab on d e qu i v a l en tt ot h e mo ne t a r ya wa r do fP2 61, 0 09 . 1 9;a nd t h att he wr i to fe x e c ut i on d at e d J a nu ar y2 9,1 99 9s h ou l db ec o ns i d er e da sa n" o v e r td en i a l "o fL ag un a CATV' smo t i o nf o r r ec ons i der at i on.9 I ns t eadofappeal i ngt ot heSec r et ar yofLabor ,LagunaCATVfi l edwi t ht heCour tofAppeal sa mot i onf ore xt ens i onoft i met ofi l e p a et i t i onf orr ev i ew.10  LagunaCATVwasoft hevi ew t hat anappealt ot heSec r et ar yofLabor" woul dbeanex er c i s ei nf ut i l i t yc ons i der i ngt hatt hes ai d appeal wi l l befi l edwi t ht heRegi onal Offic eandi twi l l s ur el ybedi s appr ov ed. " 11 OnMa y13 ,1 999 ,t h eCo ur to fAp pe al si s s u edaRe s ol u t i o n12  denyi ngLagunaCATV' smot i on f orex t ens i onanddi s mi s si ngt hec as e.TheAppel l at eCour tf ound,amongot her s ,t hati tf ai l ed t oe xhaus tadmi ni s t r at i v er emedi es . LagunaCATVfi l edamo t i onf orr ec ons i der at i onbutwasdeni edb yt heCour tofAppeal si ni t s Res ol ut i ondat edJ ul y22,1999. Henc e,i tfi l edt hei ns t antpet i t i onf orr ev i ewonc er t i or ar i .14 13  Spec i fi cal l y ,pet i t i onerc ont endst hatt he Cour tofAppeal ser r ed i n deny i ng i t smot i on f or e xt ens i onandi ndi s mi s s i ngt hec as e. Pr i v at er es pondent s ,i nt hei rc ommentont hepet i t i on,c l ai mt hatt heas sai l edOr der sofDOLE Regi onI Vhav ebec omefi nalandex ec ut or yf orpet i t i oner ' sf ai l ur et oappealt ot heSec r et ar y ofLabor .

Thepet i t i onl ac ksmer i t .TheCour tofAppeal swasc or r ec ti nhol di ngt hatpet i t i onerf ai l edt o ex haus tal l admi ni s t r at i v er emedi es . Asp r o v i d ed u nd erAr t i c l e1 28 o ft h eL ab orCo de ,a sa me nd ed ,e ar l i e rq uo t e d,a no r d er i s s uedb yt hedul yaut hor i z edr epr es ent at i v eoft heSec r et ar yofLaborma ybeappeal edt ot he l at t er .Thus ,pet i t i oners houl dhav efi r s tappeal edt ot heSec r et ar yofLabori ns t eadoffi l i ng wi t ht heCour tofAppeal samot i onf orex t ens i onoft i met ofi l eapet i t i onf orr ev i ew. Cour t s ,f orr eas onsofl aw,c omi t yandc onv eni enc e,s houl dnotent er t ai ns ui t sunl es st he av ai l abl eadmi ni s t r at i v er emedi eshav efi r s tbeenr es or t edt oandt hepr operaut hor i t i eshav e beengi v enanappr opr i at eoppor t uni t yt oac tandc or r ec tt hei ral l egeder r or s ,i fany ,c ommi t t ed i nt headmi ni s t r at i v ef or um. s er v anc eoft hi sdoc t r i nei sas oundpr ac t i c eandpol i c y .As 15Ob al ev s.Abar i nt os s uc ci nc t l yex pl ai nedbyt hi sCour ti nCar .16 " I t( t he doc t r i ne ofe x haus t i on ofadmi ni s t r at i v er emed i es ) ens ur es an or der l y pr oc edur e whi c hf av or s a pr el i mi nar ys i f t i ng pr oc es s,par t i c ul ar l y wi t hr es pec tt o mat t er spec ul i ar l ywi t hi nt hec ompet enc eoft headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc y ,a voi danc eof i nt er f er enc ewi t hf unc t i onsoft headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc ybywi t hhol di ngj udi c i alac t i on unt i lt he admi ni s t r at i v e pr oc es s had r un i t sc our s e,and pr ev ent i on ofat t empt st o s wampt hec our t sbyar es or tt ot hem i nt hefi r s ti ns t anc e. "17

Thi s Cour t ,i nal ong l i ne ofc a s es ,h as c ons i s t ent l y hel dt hati fa r emedy wi t hi nt he admi ni s t r at i v emac hi ner ycans t i l lber es or t edt obygi v i ngt headmi ni s t r at i v eoffic erc onc er ned ev er yoppor t uni t yt odec i deonamat t ert hatc omeswi t hi nhi sj ur i s di c t i on,t hens uc hr emedy s houl dbee xhaus t edfi r s tbef or et hec our t ' sj udi c i alpowerc anbes ought . Thepar t ywi t han 18  admi ni s t r at i v er emedymus tn otmer el yi ni t i at et he pr es cr i bed admi ni s t r at i v e pr oc edur et o obt ai nr el i efbutal s o pur s ue i tt oi t s appr opr i at ec onc l us i on bef or es eek i ng j udi c i al i nt er v ent i oni nor dert ogi v et headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc yanoppor t uni t yt odec i det hemat t er i t s el fc or r ec t l yandpr ev entunnec es sar yandpr emat ur er es or tt ot hec our t . Theunder l y i ng 19  pr i nc i pl eoft her ul er es t sont hepr es umpt i ont hatt headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc y ,i faffor deda c o mp l e t ec h an c et op as su po nt h e ma t t e rwi l ld ec i d et h es a me c o r r e c t l y . Ther ef or e, 20  pe t i t i oners houl d ha v ec ompl e t ed t he admi ni s t r at i v e pr oc es sb y appeal i ng t he ques t i oned Or der st ot heSec r et ar yofLabor . Al t h ou gh t hi s Co ur th as a l l o we dc e r t a i ne x c ep t i o ns t ot he d oc t r i n e ofe x ha us t i on o f admi ni s t r at i v er emedi es ,s uc has :

1)whent her ei sav i ol at i onofduepr oc es s; 2)whent hei s suei nv ol v edi sapur el yl egal ques t i on; 3)whent headmi ni s t r at i v eac t i oni spat ent l yi l l egalamount i ngt ol ac korex ces s ofj ur i s di c t i on; 4)whent her ei ses t oppel ont hepar toft headmi ni s t r at i v eagenc yc onc er ned; 5)whent her ei si r r epar abl ei nj ur y ; 6 )wh ent h er e s po nde nti saDe par t me ntSe c r e t a r ywh os ea c t sasana l t ere go oft hePr es i dentbear st hei mpl i edandas sumedappr ov al oft hel at t er ; 7)when t o r equi r e exhaust i on of admi ni st r at i ve r emedi es woul d be un r ea s on ab l e ; 8)wheni twoul damountt oanul l i fi cat i onofac l ai m; 9)whent hes ubj ec tmat t eri sapr i v at el andi nl andc as epr oc eedi ngs ; 10)whent her ul edoesno tpr o v i deapl ai n,s peedy ,adequat er emedy ; 11)whent her ear ec i r c ums t anc esi ndi c at i ngt heur genc yofj udi c i al i nt er v ent i on; 12)whennoadmi ni s t r at i v er e vi ewi spr o vi dedbyl aw; 13)wher et her ul eofqual i fi edpol i t i c al agenc yappl i es ;and 1 4)wh en t he i s s u eo fn on e x hau s t i o no fa dmi n i s t r a t i v er eme di e sh as b een r e nd er e dmo ot ,21 pet i t i onerf ai l st os howt hatt hei ns t antc as ef al l sunderanyoft heex cept i ons .I t scont ent i on t hatanappeal t ot heSec r et ar yofLaborwoul dbef ut i l eas" i twi l l s ur el ybedi s appr ov ed, "i s pur el yc onj ec t ur al anddefi ni t el ymi s pl ac ed. I nt her ec entc as eof Republ i coft hePhi l i ppi nesv s .Ex pr es sT el ec ommuni c at i onCo. ,22  t hi s Cour thel dt hat" t hepr emat ur ei nv oc at i onoft hec our t ' si nt er v ent i oni sf at alt oone' sc aus eof ac t i on. "Ac cor di ngl y ,abs entanyfi ndi ngofwai v er ,es t oppel ,oranyoft heex c ept i onst ot he

doc t r i neofex haus t i onofadmi ni s t r at i v er emedi es ,t hec as ei ssus cept i bl eofdi s mi s salf orl ac k ofc aus eofac t i on. 23 WHEREFORE,t hei n s t a ntp et i t i o nf o rr e v i e wi sDENI ED.

SI DTCa

SOORDERED. Puno,   Pangani ban  andCar pi oMor al es ,J J . ,c onc ur . Cor ona,J . ,onoffic i al l eav e.